Tuning-hammer.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

J. ERLANDSEN.

TUNING HAMMER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 13, 1903.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

TUNING-HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 770,961, dated September 27, 1904.

Application filed July 13, 1903. Serial No. 165,412.

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS ERLANDSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tuning-Hammers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the method of securing the handle of pianotuning hammers to the handle-stem; and the object of my invention is to provide a means whereby the handle may be moved toward or away from the hammer-head and then secured to the handle-stem in the desired position. I attain this object by means of the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tuninghammer handle, showing the device for securing the handle to any position on the stem. Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the handle and stem, taken on the line A B and showing the groove in the handle-stem, the dog in the groove, the loose sleeve mounted on the handle, and the eccentric groove in the sleeve operative on the dog. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dog. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line A B, showing a modified form of the device, in which three grooves are cut in the stem, three dogs placed in the grooves, and the loose sleeve formed as indicated to operate the three dogs simultaneously. Fig. 5 is a modified form of the device, in which a nut is screwed on the end of the bushing to secure the loose sleeve to position on the handle and three grooves are shown in the handle-stem with dogs working therein.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As is well known to piano-tuners, the body of the piano is so formed and the disposition of the pins therein is such that the lever formed by the handle-stem cannot be conveniently operated with the same length at all times. It

. therefore becomes necessary to provide a hand-grip that may be moved toward or away from the hammer-head, thus shortening or lengthening the lever, and to provide means for securing the hand-grip to the desired po- (No model.)

sition on the handle-stem. This is ordinarily accomplished by fitting to the handgrip a bushing that is adapted to slide on the handlestem and fitting in the bushing a small setscrew that is capable of bearing and binding on the handle-stem. These set-screws wear and strip the threads in the bushings or become loose and are lost, or the slot in the screw-head becomes worn, or the head of the screw twists ofl, causing annoyance to the user. To obviate these imperfections, I have made the following improvements:

To the handle-stem 1, formed as a right cylinder and containing the groove 2, preferably formed parallel to the axis of the handle-stem, is fitted the bushing 3, adapted to receive and hold the hand-grip 4c. The end 5 of the bushing 3 is formed to receive the loose sleeve 6, which is rotatably fitted thereto. In the loose sleeve 6 is formed the eccentric groove 7 and the threaded hole 8, connecting with the eccentric groove 7, while on the outer cylindrical surface is formed the nurling 9. In the end 5 of the bushing 3 in alinement with the threaded hole 8 is formed the hole 10. To the hole- 10 is fitted the dog 11, having its lower end formed with a tongue 12, fitted to the groove 2, and the shoulders 13, formed to bear on the handle-stem l on each side of the groove 2. On the upper end of the dog 11 is formed the tongue 14, formed to fit in and bear against the cylindrical surface of the eccentric groove 7. To the threaded hole 8 is fitted the screw 15. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.)

Having described the component parts of my invention, it will be seen that the device may readily be assembled and the hand-grip be slidably connected to the handle-stem by placing the loose sleeve 6 upon the end 5 of the bushing 3 and inserting the handle-stem 1 in the bushing 3 then turning the bushing by the hand-grip 4 until the hole 10 is over the groove 2 and turning the loose sleeve 6 until the threaded hole 8 is also over the hole 10. The dog 11 may then be inserted through the threaded hole 8 and placed in the hole 10. with the tongue 12 in the groove 2. On turning the loose sleeve 6 slightly the tongue 14: enters the eccentric'groove 7 and holds the loose sleeve 6 on the end 5. After rotating dogs in which each dog lies in a separate plane perpendicular to the axis of the handlestem. I I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent the loose sleeve 6 until the tongue 1 1 is entirely free from the hole 8 the screw 15 may be inserted in the threaded hole 8 and will prevent the dog 11 from falling out. The groove 2 running parallel with the axis of the handle-stem permits the tongue 12 and the bushing 3, holding the dog 11, on which the tongue 12 is formed, to be moved lengthwise or the handle-stem, but prevents rotation of the bushing independent of the handle-stem. The loose sleeve 6 upon rotation upon the end 5 brings the cylindrically-formed surface of the eccentric groove 7 nearer to or farther from the top surface of the tongue 1 1 of the dog 11, causing itto press on the tongue 1 1 and force the shoulders 13 of the dog 11 against the handle-stem 1 with sufiicient force to hold the bushing 3 rigidly to the handlestem or relieving them from such force and allowing the bushing to slide on the handlestem. The hand-grip 4: being fixed to the bushing 3 it follows that the hand-grip or handle is fixed to position when the bushing is secured to the handle-stem and is free to slide on the handle-stem when the bushing is free to slide on the handle-stem. The handle can thus be moved along the handle-stem toward the hammer-head or away from the hammer-head and quickly and securely fixed to position.

Not wishing to confine myself to the exact construction described, I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 slight modifications. In Fig. 5 the loose sleeve 6", formed with eccentric grooves 7 similar to the eccentric groove 7, has portions of the Walls between the grooves 7 re' moved, forming channels similar to those shown at 18, Fig. 4:, to permit the sleeve passing the tongues 14:, While the end 5 is threaded at 16 to receive the nut 17. The nut 17 screwed on the threaded end 16, serves to hold the loose sleeve 6 to place on the end 5 of the bushing 3 This form of securing the loose sleeve to place maybe used whether the sleeve operates one dog or more.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a modification to illustrate that any number of dogs may be used, the particular modification showing three dogs 11 placed in the holes 10 in the end 5*, sliding on the handle-stem 1. The handle-stem 1 is provided with three grooves 2, in which are placed the tongues 12. In the loose sleeve 6 are formed the grooves 7 and either as many threaded holes similar to the hole 8 (shown in Fig. 2) or the channels 18, running from the grooves 7 to the face of the sleeve, bearing against the end of the bushing to permit the sleeve being passed over the tongues 1 1. The grooves 7 all being similar will act simultaneously upon the tongues 14: and force the shoulders 13 against the handle-stem 1 or release the shoulders therefrom, according to the position of the loose sleeve.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a disposition of the 1. In a tun1ng-hammer,the combination of a handle-stem having a groove therein, a bushing fitted to the handle-stem, a holein one end of the bushing, a dog movable in the said hole extending into but not bearing on the bottom of the groove and adapted to prevent the bushing from rotating on the handle-stem and shoulders formed on the dog adapted to bear on the handle-stem.

2. In a tuning-hammer the combination of a handle-stem having a groove therein a bushing fitted to the handle-stem a hole in one end of the bushing a dog working in the said hole, shoulders formed on the dog adapted to bear on the handle-stem, a tongue formed on one end of the said dog adapted to fit into but not to bear on the bottom of the said groove and to prevent the bushing from rotating on the handle-stem and the dog from rotating within the hole.

3. Inatuning-hammer the combination of a ing fitted to the handle-stem, a hole in one end of the bushing, a dog working in the said hole, a tongue formed on one end of the dog adapted to fit into but not to bear on-the bottom of the said groove, shoulders formed on the dog adapted to bear on the handle stem, an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, and a loose sleeve rotatably mounted upon the bushing.

4. In a tuning-hammer the combination of a handle-stem having a groove therein, abushing fitted to the handle-stem, a hole in one end of the bushing, a dog Working in the said hole, a tongue formed on one end of the dog adapted to fit said groove, an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, a loose sleeve mounted rotatably upon the bushing, an eccentric surface on the loose sleeve adapted to bear against the dog to force it toward the handle-stem and shoulders on the said dog adapted to grip the handle-stem.

5. In a tuning-hammer, the combination of a handle-stem having a groove therein, a bushing fitted to the handle-stern, an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, a loose sleeve mounted rotatably thereon, an eccentric groove formed in the loose sleeve and a dog with shoulders thereon adapted to be operated by the eccentric groove to force the shoulders against the handle-stem and hold the bushing thereto.

6. In atuning-hammer the combination of a handle-stem having a groove therein, a bushing fitted to the handle-stem an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, a loose sleeve mounted thereon, a hole in said end adapted to receive a dog, a dog working therein, a tongue on the dog adapted handle-stem having a groove therein, a bushto fit into the said groove, an eccentric groove formed in the loose sleeve and a tongue formed on the dog adapted to work in the said eccentric groove as and for the purposes described.

7 Inatuning-hammer the combination of a grooved handle-stem having a bushing fitted thereto, an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, a loose sleeve mounted rotatably thereon, a hole in the bushing to receive a dog, a dog working in the hole in the bushing, a tongue formed on one end of the dog adapted to enter the groove in the handle-stem, shoulders formed on the same said end adapted to bear on the handle-stem, a tongue formed on the other end of the dog adapted to enter an eccentric groove, an eccentric groove formed in the loose sleeve adapted on the rotation of the loose sleeve to operate the dog forcing the shoulders against the handle-stem to hold the bushing to any position on the handle-stem and holding the tongue within the groove to prevent rotation of the handle-stem.

8. In a tuning-hammer the combination of a handle-stem having a bushing fitted thereto, an end formed on the bushing adapted to receive a loose sleeve, a loose sleeve mounted rotatably thereon, a threaded hole in the loose sleeve adapted to permit the passage of a dog, a hole in the end of the bushing adapted to receive a dog, a dog movable therein and a screw, fitted to the threaded hole in the loose sleeve, adapted to prevent the dog from falling out.

9. In a tuning-hammer the combination of a handle-stem having a bushing fitted thereto, a handle fitted to the bushing, a knurled sleeve mounted rotatably upon one end of the bushing, a hole in the loose sleeve adapted to permit the passage of a dog, a hole in the end of the bushing adapted to receive a dog, a dog movable therein, an eccentric groove in the knurled sleeve adapted to bear on the dog and hold the handle to any position on the handlestem when the knurled sleeve is rotated in one direction and to release its pressure on the dog when rotated in the opposite direction allowing the handle to move freely on the handle-stem and a screw adapted to retain the dog within the hole in the bushing.

JULIUS ERLANDSEN. Witnesses:

EDWIN R. STORM, VICTOR LOMBARD. 

